Spark-coil box for motor-vehicles.



110. 838,251. PATENTED DEC. 11, 190e.

11. HUPF. SPARK 0011. B0X PoR MOTOR VEHICLES.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1905.

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Slimme/13o No. 838,251. PATENTED DEG. 1l, 1906. R. HUF?. SPARKGOIL BOXFOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATIUN FILED SBPT.27,1906.

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miH ffnmlllllllpumm 11@ Hillmufmll WLMI/conca @Hoz neio No. 838,251. PATBNTED DEC. l1, 1906.

AR. HUFF. SPARK COIL BOX PORy MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27. 1906. Y

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@No1/nego RUSSELL HUFF,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION` OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SPARK-SOUL vBOX FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 11, 1906.

Application iiledeptemher 27, 1906. Serial No. 336,456.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUSSELL HUFE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in S ark-Coil Boxes for Motor- Vehicles, of whic the following is a specification. This invention comprises improvements in spark-coil boxes and switching means for use in connection with the ignition mechanism of an explosive-engine, whereby either the battery-current or the magneto-current may be` connected to the primary windings of their respective spark-coils and the secondary coils of the-latter connected to the sparkplugs by the operation of a -'single switch which vopens the battery-circuit when the magneto is connected and short-circuits the magneto when the battery is connected.

The invention also comprises a convenient' arrangement of the parts for eecting the above -purposes and for facilitating the removal and insertion of the spark-coils and switch mechanism. l

In the accompanying drawin a vertical section through t e combined spark-coil and switch-box, taken on the line X X of Fig. 4. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are horizontal sections through the same on the line Y Y of Fig. 1, the coils being `shown diagrammatically. Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations of the magneto-coil casin and the batterycoil casing, respectively, t e sides of the casings being broken away and the coils being shown therein diagrammatically. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line Z Z of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the connection between the handle and the switch-barrel; and Fig. 9 is a front view of the lock.

ReferrinClr to the drawings, al indicates the spark-coil box as a whole, having a central compartment 1, containing the switching mechanism b andfside compartments, one adapted to receive a casing 2, containing the transformer spark-coil, for use in connection with a magneto, and the other adapted to receive a casing, containing the trembler l spark-coil', for use' in connection with a battery. Attached to the front of the casinar 2 s, Figure 1 is is a small box or compartment 4 suitable or containing a condenser.

:connect the conductor 20 tp the -engine-casin g Upon the outer side of the casing -2 facing the switching mechanism are arranged thr flat contact-plates 5, 6, and 7. The plate 5 forms vone terminal of the low-tension winding 8 of a transformer t, and the plate 6 forms one terminal of a high-tension winding 9, `while the plate 7 is connected to the o posite terminals of both windings. Simi arly upon the side of the casing 3 facing the switching mechanism are arran ed lat contact-plates 5, 6a, and 7a, the p ate 5t being connected to one terminal of the low-tension winding 10 of a coil t for use in connection with the' battery, the plate 6a being connected to one terminal of the high-tension winding 11 and the plate 7' bein connected to the opposite ends of both win ings. l

Secured upon the bottom 12 of the casing is arranged a metal conducting-strip 13, havin one end secured to. a binding-post 14, which latter4 is grounded upon the enginecasing (indicated at g) by means of a suitable conductor 15. 1 Within the switch-compartment of the box spring fin and 16a project upwardly rom the conducting-strip 13 and engage the contacts 7 and 7 a upon the casings 2 and 3, respectively,when these casings are in position within the box. One terminal of each of the windings in both casings is therefore always grounded through the conductors 1 8 and 14. A spring-plunger 1.6i, mounted in a tubular metal casing 16, which projects radially outward from a rotaee f ers or brushes 16 table cylinder 17, made of insulating mate-l rial, is adapted to engage either of t e contacts 6 or 68L and thereby electrically connect either of the` high-tension coils 9 or 411 to a stationary spring cont act member 18, having a part 1S, which bears against the tubular metal casing 16ax in line with the axis of the cylinderfl7 The contact member 18is connected to a binding-post 19 on the under side of the-box, and the latter is connected b a conductor 20 tp a distributer 21, operateciin theusual way bythe engine, to electrically spark-plugs r of the engine in succession. The returncircuit from the spark-plugs is `.throu h the conductor 15,?bindin -post 14, and con uotor 13 to the Contact member 7 and winding 9 or contact member 7 1 and Winding'll, according as the plunger is in the IOO position shown in Fig. 2 or'that shot-Tfn in Fig. 4. r

In the central position (shown in Fig. 3) it will be seen that the high-tension windings of.-I both coils are interrupted, neither of the contacts 6 or 61 beig engaged by the plunger 16X. The switr is so arranged that when the cylinder '17 is turned 'into the position shown in Fig. 2 a magneto m, Fig. 1, will be fposition (shown in Fig. 3) the magneto is short--circuited in order toprevent destructive sparking at themagneto.

Upon the bottom of the box a., within the vcentral chamber 1, is arranged a conducting- .strip 22, having anl upwardly-extending spring finger or brush 22, adapted to bear aginst the contact 5, connected to the lowtension winding of the coil t and having at its opposite end an upwardly-extending spring finger or brush 22h, adapted to bear against the contact-plate 23 of the cylinder when the cylinder 4is in the osition shown in Fig. 2. On the opposite si e of thecylinder a conducting-strip 24 has similar fingers or brushes 24 and 24h, the former engaging the terminal 5l1 of the low-tension coil 10 and the latter adapted to engage the contact-plate 23 when the cylinder is turned into the position shownI in Fig. 4. Between the conducting-strip 13 and the strips 22 and 24 are other contactstrips 25 and 26, respectively, the former,

having a finger 25l and the latter having a finger 26a, adapted to bear against the -r-linder. The return or ground conductor also has a spring -finger 13a, adapted .to bear against the cylinder adjacent to the finger 25, and these two fingers are adapted to engage a contact-plate V27 u on the cylinder.

rlhis contact-plate is of suc length and so arranged that it will be engaged by the fin ers 25 and 13n when the plate 23 is engage by the fingers 24b and 2,68', as shown in Fig. 4, and it will also remain in engagement with said fingers 25n and 13a in the mid-position of the switch, (shown in Fig. 3;) but when the s witch is rocked to the position shown in 2, so that the plate 23 engages the contact members 22b and 25?, the plate 27 is disengaged from the fingers 25*1 and 13a.

The magneto m is connected at one side to the engine-frame, as indicated in Fig. 1,- and at its opposite side it is connected by a conductor 28 to a binding-post 29, which in turn is connected to lthe spring-finger 25a through conductor 25. The battery b is connected to the engine-frame at one side, and the opposite pole of the battery is conductor 30 to a binding-post 31, and thence to the spring-finger 26" through conductingstrip 26.

When the switch is turned into the position Tsiuivirnin Fig. 2, it will be seen that the mag-l neto-circuit will be completed as follows:

from the magneto 'm through conductor 2. and binding-post 29 to the conductor 25, finger 25a, contact-plate 23, finger 22h, conductor 22, ft ger 22, contact 5 on the coil-casing 2, thence through low-tension winding 8 to the contact 7, thence through fingers 16 and conductor 13 to the binding-post 14, thence to engine frame g by conductor 15 and through the frame to the opposite terminal of the magneto. At this time the high-tension winding of the coil t is connected to the ground on one side, as previously explained, through contact 7 and conductors 13 and 15 andto the distributer 21 through the contact 6, plunger 16)(plunger-casing 16M, contact 18, binding-post 19, and wire 20, and from'the distributer 21.to the insulated terminala of' the spark-plugs a: in succession.

When the switch-cylinder is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the contact-plate 27 engages the fingers 131 and 25", short-circuiting the magneto, 'and the lplate 23 engages the fingers 24b .and 26a, thus completing the battery-circuit through the primary winding 1() of the coil t. tends from one side vof the battery through conductor 30 to binding-post 31, thence by conductor 26 and spring -finger 26a to 'the plate 23, thence by springfinger 24h, conductor 24,and finger 24a to the coil-terminal 551, thence through the primary winding 10 and the circuit-interrupter 10-, connected with said coil, to the neutral or ground contact 7a on the casing 3, thence through finger 16a, conductor 13, binding-post 14, conductor 15, and the engine-frame to the opposite side of the battery. At the same time the circuit through the high-tension winding 11 isj-c,m pleted, on the one side, from the contact 7'1 through finger 16, conductor 13, binding- 9 The battery-circuit then ex- IIO ost 14,'and conductor 15 to the engineame g, and, on the other side, through plunger 16X, plunger-casing 161x, contact 18, binding-post 19, conductor 20, and distributer 21 to the insulated contacts ofthe plugs a; in succession.

Af ter the motor has started by the use of the battery and its coil thc switch is moved to the position shown in Fig, 2, thus interrupting the battery-circuit between the contact-fingers 24b and 26, and when the plate 23 engages the fingers 22 and 25*L the magneto is brought into operation, the plate 27 atthat time having passed out of contact with the fingers 25l and 13," In the midposition (shown in Fig. 3) the contactplate 23 does not engage any of the contactfingers, and therefore in this position there is connected by i no connection between the windings of either of the coils and the sources of electrical energy. It will be seen, therefore, that the switch provides for completing the primary and secondary circuits 'of the trembler-coil and atA the same time maintaining the magneto on short circuit, so as to prevent sparking at the magneto, and' it also provides for completing the circuits of the-transformercoil t and for maintaining the batterycircuit open while the transformer-coils are connected.

Ihe switch-cylinder 17 is suitably mounted in bearings a 31@ of a standard c, which is secured tothe bottom of the box. This cylinder has a groove or slot 32 extending diametrically across 'it at one end. This groove is engaged by a feather or spline 33 within the box, which spline is rotatable by means of a handle 34 upon the outer side of the box, the spline andhandle being connected by a cylindrical part 35, having a bearing in the front wall a ofthe box. The spring-,conductor 18 normally presses the cylinder toward the spline, Stops 36 and 37 are provided upon the front of the standard c and adapted'tobe engaged by the one end of the key or spline in the extreme positions ofthe latter to limit the`movement of the switch. In the midosition of the switch-cylinder the springger 25 rests within a notch 27a in the contactplate 27 and holds the cylinder against accidental rotation. In the extreme positions (shown in Figs. 2 and 4) the frictional engagement of the spring-plunger 16X with the contact 6 or 6a prevents the cylinder from' turning accidentally.

In order to prevent the unauthorized use of the motor-vehicle, means are also provided for locking the switch-cylinder in the midposition. For this purpose a lock d is ar.- ranged on the front side a of the casing, and this lock has a vertically-movable bolt 38, provided with a notch 39, adapted to fit over the end of the feather or spline 33 when the latter is in the mid-position, and thus prevent the turning of the switch. The bolt may be moved into and out ofengagement with the spline 33 by means of a key to be inserted into the lock through the keyhole 40. The purpose of connecting the handle 34 with the switch-barrel by means of the spline fitting into a groove in the end of the cylinder is to permit thek switch to be inserted and removed without disconnecting the handle or lock from the box. By simply turning the cylinder to the mid-position and removing the screws 41, which secure the bottom of the box to its sides, the bottom of the box and the cylinder maybe removed without disturbing the lock or handle. The coil-casingsl may' also be removed by taking out the bottom of the box, or they may be independently removed after taking ol the top of the box, and it will be noted that the removal of a coil-case does not require the unfastening of any of the electrical connections. As soon as the coil-casing is placed in its appropriate compartment in the box-its connections to the 'switching mechanism are cmplete.

"Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A spark-coil box. a spark-coil, a casing for said coil, separate contact plates or pieces` on said casing connected to the primary and secondary windings of said coil, and a contactplate on said casing connected to the oppo.

site ends of both of said windings, a switch within said box, and contact members connected with said switch adapted to engage the Contact plates -or pieces on the coil-casing when the latter is placed within the box.

2. A'spark-coil box, two sparl -coils, casings for said coils adapted to fit within said box, separate contact plates or pieces on each of said casings connected to the terminals oi the primary and secondary windings'of the coils, and a contact-piece on each casing connected to the o posite end of both windings of the coil 'Withln the casing, a switch within said box, and contact members connected with said switch adapted to engage the contact plates or pieces on the coil-casings when the latter are placed within the box.

3. In an ignition apparatus for explosiveengines, the combination with a magnetogenerator, and a source of direct current, of a spark-coil box, transformer and trembler coils within said box and adapted for operation by currents from said sources respectively, and a switch within the box for compleing the circuits of either coil independent y.

4. In `an ignition apparatus for explosiveengines, a magneto-generator and a source of direct current, a transformer-coil and a trembler-coil adapted for o eration by said current sources respectivei) a switch and suitable electrical connections adapted in one position of the switch to complete the circuits of the trembler-coil and short-circuit the magneto-generator, and in another position of the switch to interrupt the circuits ol the tremblerlcoil and complete the circuits of the transformer-coil.

5. In an ignition apparatus for explosiif'ee engines, a magneto-generator and a source of direct current, a transformer-coil and a irembler-coil adapted for o eration by said'current sources respective y, a switch. and suitable electrical connections ada tedfin one position of the switch to comp cte the circuits of the trembler-coil and short-circuit the magneto-generator, and in another position of the switch to interrupt the circuits ofthe trembler-coil and complete the circuits IOO IOS

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of the transformer-coil and in an intermediate position to interrupt the circuits of both coils.

6. In an ignition apparatus for explosiveengines, a magneto-generator and a source of direct current, a transformer-coil and a trembler-coil adapted for operation by said current sources respectively, a switch and suitable electrical connections ada ted in one position of the switch to comp ete the circuits of the trembler-coil and short-circuit the magneto-generator, and in another osition of the switch to interrupt the circuits of the trembler-coil and complete the circuits of the transformer-coil and in an intermediate position to interrupt the circuits of both coils and short-circuit the magneto-generator.

7. In a spark mechanism for explosive-engines, a transformer-coil and a trembler-coil, each having one side of its primary and secc ,dary windings connected to a common ground-conductor, and a switch adapted in one position to compl te the circuit of the primary and secondary windings of the transformer-coil and to interru t the circuit of the trembler-coil, and in anotdier position to complete the circuits of the trembler-coil and short-circuit the current source for the transformer-coil.

8. In a spark mechanism foreXplosive-engines, a transformer-coil and a trembler-coil, each having one side of its primary and secondary windings connected to a common ground-conductor, and a switch adapted 'in one position to complete the circuitl cf the primary and secondary windings of the transformer-coil and to interrupt the circuit of the trembler-coil, andin another osition to complete the circuits of the trem ler-coil and short-Circuit the current source forl thetransformer-Coil and inA an intermediate position tointerrupt the circuits of both coils.

l a spark mechanism for explosive-engines, a transformer-coil and a trembler-coil, each having one side of its primary and secondary windings connected to a common ground-conductor, and a switch adapted in one position to complete the circuit of the primary and secondary windings of the transformer-coil and to interrupt the circuit of the trembler-coil, and in 'another osition to complete the circuits of thetremb er-coil and short-circuit the current source for the transformer-coil and in an intermediate positionto interrupt the circuits of both coils and shortcircuit the current source from the transformer-coil.

10. In a spark mechanismfor explosive-engines, a spark-coilbox having a central and two side compartments, spark-coils arranged within said side compartments, and a switch in said central com artment ada ted to complete the circuits o either coil indbpendently, accordingr to the position of the switch.

11. In a spark mechanism for explosive-en- 65 gines, a spark-coil box having a central and two side compartments, spark-coil casings arranged within said side com artments, said casings having spark-coils t ierein and contacts on the casings connected to the terminals of said coils, stationary iingers or brushes in said central compartmentadapted to en- 4 gage the contacts connected to the terminals of the low-tension windings., and a switch in said central com artment for completin the low-tension Win( ing of either coil throug its current source and at the -same time completing the circuit of the high-tension winding of the' coil.

12. Ina spark mechanism-for explosive-engines, two spark-coils, each having one side` of its rimary and secondary windings connecte to a common ground conductor, brushes electrically connected to the opposite terminals of said primary windings, a movable switch member having a contact-plate adapted to engage either of said brushegjndependently, according to the position of said member, brushes connectedvto independent current sources adapted to be independently engaged by said plate di'erent ositions of said switch member, to connect eit 1er primary winding to a 'urrent source, and means connected with said switch member for completmgtlrc'secondary -circuit of either one of said cells when its primar circuit is complete.

13. In a spark mechanismfor explosive-engines, two spark-coils, each havin one side of its rimary and secondary Win ings connectedp to a common ground-conductor, a magneto-generator anda source of direct current for operating saidy coils respectively, a movable switch member having a contactplate thereon, brushes for en aging said plate and connecting the coils independently to their current sources, 'a brush connected to said common ground-conductor, and a plate upon said switch member adapted to engage said latter brush and the brush connected to the magneto-generator, when the direct-current source is connected to its coil, and to be disengaged from said brushes when theI magneto-generator is connected to its co1 `14. In a spark mechanism for explosive-engines, a switch for completing the circuits of two spark-coils, independently, comprising brushes for connecting the primary coils to the current sources, and a switch-cylinder having contact-plates coperating with said brushes, said switch member having also a radially-arranged spring plunger or brush adapted to engage stationary contacts for corpspleting the secondary circuits of said co1 Y 15; In a sparkmechanism for explosive-engines, a spark-coil box, a rotatable switchcylinder therein, said cylinder having a groo ve IOS IIO

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extending across one end, a spline fitting in said groove and a handle on the outer side of the box for turning said spline.

16. In a spark mechanism for eXplosive-engines, a spark-coil box, a rotatablel switchcvlinder therein, said cylinder having a groove extending across one end, a spline fitting in said groove, a handle for turning lsaid spline,

and a means for looking said spline.

17. In aspark mechanism for explosive-engines, a spark-coil box, a rotatable switchcylinder therein, said cylinder having a groov e extending across one end, a s line litting in said groove, a handle for turning said spline,

and a lock having a bolt provided with av notch adapted to engage said spline.

. In testimony whereof l aliix Iny signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RUSSELL HUFF. VVtneSSeS:

ALLEN LooMs, F. E. PAINE, Jr. 

